Proposition One puts Texas transportation funding in voters' hands

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- So what exactly is Proposition One? Republican State Senator Robert Nichols, of Jacksonville, says it is the largest single increase in transportation funding in Texas history.

Senator Nichols is the man who proposed that increase, by using money from oil and gas taxes.

"You need a road system to connect us all together," he explains. "So that is a core function of the state. The state of Texas has not adequately funded our road system in more than two decades."

Those energy taxes are meant to go into the state's Economic Stabilization Fund, the so-called rainy day fund. But with that cash set to exceed $11 billion dollars in reserves by the end of 2015, Nichols and a majority of the legislature think it's best to designate some of the incoming cash to the state's roads, which estimates suggest cost Texas $5 billion a year.

"The legislature has been looking for some other way to fund this core function of the state," Nichols says.

Proposition One would take half of the new energy tax revenue and split it between the rainy day fund and the state highway fund, meaning roads would get in excess of a billion dollars a year, a start to bridging the funding gap.

But how many voters really understand it? Nichols fears most don't.

We met the Sweet family and they say most propositions aren't clear, making them difficult to vote for.

"I feel like the way they're worded, it's not very clear," Brendyn Sweet told us, "maybe intentionally to confuse voters."

Jennifer Sweet added, "Usually the wording is tricky. They'll say are you in favor of this, when you're really not in favor of it but you see those buzzwords."

That could make it tricky for proposition one come Election Day.

"If the voters don't pass it," says Nichols, "well then we're back to square one and we have out some other way to fund our road system."

Proposition One, if passed, would change the Texas Constitution. That is why, despite legislative approval, it requires voters' approval in November.